


Peppermint and Honey

by schmulte



Series: Love, Actually [1]
Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Henry drinks his respect men juice, Love Actually AU, M/M, Pining, firstprince, this is silly but it was fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28312014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schmulte/pseuds/schmulte
Summary: Henry returns home from university and finds himself smitten with his new caterer.Part of my Love, Actually series, based on the Prime Minister/Natalie relationship
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Series: Love, Actually [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073519
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TW for unwanted sexual advances later on in the first chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for unwanted sexual advances  
> I wrote this at 3 am on Christmas please don't judge me

The crowd roars around the car, drowning out the sound of London traffic. Hundreds upon hundreds of people are gathered on every sidewalk, every street corner, waving flags and cheering. It seems the whole city has come out, everyone eager to welcome their prince home. He has been gone for five years, after all- two in the Air Force, three at university -and his return is cause for celebration. 

They'll first stop at Kensington Palace, for an official visit with the queen. He'll catch up with his family briefly, make sure to stay in his grandmother's good graces, and snap a few photographs for the press. From there, the motorcade will make its way to his private residence near Downing Street. The residence will serve as his home and office while he is here, complete with staff and any other amenities Henry may desire. He'll be spending his time working as the head of a new philanthropy project in partnership with the Okonjo Foundation, establishing shelters for LGBT youth throughout the UK. For once, Henry is actually excited to be fulfilling a royal duty. Normally he'd be expected to drop in to one of the shelters for a photo op or contribute some of his money, but he made it clear from the beginning that he wanted to be hands-on. It was that on condition, and that condition alone, that Henry agreed to come home. 

The trip to Kensington Palace is a pleasant as he had expected. Philip is still a dick, Bea is still the most amazing sister ever, and his grandmother is still....his grandmother. He made appearances, took pictures with fake smiles until his cheeks hurt. The formal bit out of the way, he'll arrange to have a more organic reunion with Bea later on in the week. Now it's on to his residence, waving through the tinted windows at the people, and giving a polite smile and a nod to the cameras waiting outside. 

The place is gorgeous, ivy-covered brown brick on the exterior and beautiful dark hardwood on the interior, stone fireplaces and old portraits and bookshelves. It is nothing like the shiny marble of Kensington, all gold beds and chandeliers. It feels like a home that Henry could actually like living in, and the quiet chaos of it all will serve as just the right work environment. 

Shaan has all the staff lined up inside, of course, and introduces him to each one. Amy and Cash, his security, Zarha his assistant, Nora his accountant, and of course Shaan will continue on as his equerry. They make their way down the neat line until the very last person, and Henry stops dead in his tracks. 

The boy before him is absolutely gorgeous. He can't possibly be much older than Henry, but he radiates a natural boyish charm, and his crooked smile hints at mischief. He has the most beautiful honey-brown eyes, the fullest pink lips, the softest looking hair Henry has ever seen. He looks effortlessly beautiful in his simple chinos and button down. Henry thinks he could just eat him up. 

The hand he offers is small in Henry's, but strong and soft to the touch. Nimble fingers rest perfectly in his hand, as if they were made for each other, two puzzle pieces fit together. If Henry is blushing, Shaan doesn't say anything about it, only gives Henry the slight quirk of his lips he does when Henry is clearly embarrassing himself. 

"This is Alex Claremont-Diaz, sir, in charge of catering."

It takes a moment before Henry realizes he's paused too long before speaking, too distracted by the feel of Alex's hand in his. He clears his throat and tries to hide behind a nervous smile. 

"Hello, Alex."

"Hello, Henry," Alex says, and _god_ the way Henry's name rolls of his tongue does something to him. "shit- I mean sir. Oh god, I just said shit to the Prince of Wales."

Henry chuckles, reveling in the way Alex's eyes widen when he's panicked. "It's fine, really." And it is, because the way Alex's shoulders relax with relief and the little puff of air he releases from those perfect lips. 

"Thank you, sir. Sorry, sir." 

It's then that Henry notices he still has a hold of Alex's hand, and he quickly drops it, running it through his own hair instead. It's not very princely, but he's more nervous now than he has been in a long time. Luckily, Shaan saves him, like he always does. 

"Shall I show you to your room, sir?"

"Yes," his voice cracks just a touch. "yes, Shaan, that would be excellent."

Shaan does not mention the awkward interaction with Alex as he leads him to his room. Henry knows he won't bring it up and won't talk about it unless asked. He likes that about Shaan. And he especially likes that he followed his requests for his room- he hated the gaudy quilt on his bed in Kensington, scratchy and formal. This room is perfect for Henry, with a little desk and soft blankets and piles and piles of his books. There's even a dog bed for David, which he immediately plops himself down into. Shaan leaves him at the door, and Henry takes the opportunity to really decompress. He gets out of his suit, strips down to his pants and a tee shirt, and unwinds to the sweet sounds of Mary Berry critiquing croquembouche. A knock comes some few hours later, and Henry is already saying "come in" before he realizes he's not dressed. 

Alex comes in carrying a tray, and Henry quickly covers himself with a blanket, knowing he has a blush on his chest now that hopefully Alex can't see. He smiles that easy Alex smile and holds up the tray a little higher.

"Tea, sir?" he asks, and all Henry can do is nod and clear his throat profusely. Alex sets the little tray down next to Henry on his bed, and goes to leave, but then Henry is speaking without thinking, calling out Alex's name quickly. He turns, eyebrow raised but still smiling. "Sir?"

"I..." oh dear, he needs to come up with something to say, fast. "I like to know who my staff are. Tell me about yourself."

"What would you like to know, sir?" The question is simple, normal, but the way Alex says it does something to Henry's brain. His eyes are glinting with some unspoken challenge, and Henry has to clear his throat yet again. 

"Anything. How does an American find himself working for the crown prince?"

"My sister is here for grad school, sir, and I just graduated from undergraduate myself, so we moved here together. Nora's an old family friend, she put in a good word for me with Shaan."

"I see. You live with your sister, then?" He almost spills his tea on himself, and thankfully Alex doesn't laugh at him. 

"Yes, sir, in Wardsworth, the shitty part. Shit, I mean, er. The bad part."

Henry can't help but smile, because really, Alex's swearing is way more endearing than it should be. "I see. And where exactly is the bad part?"

"On Harris Street, near the Queen's Head."

"Ah," Henry nods. "that part is rather shitty." Alex smiles widens so genuinely, and Henry really has to struggle to maintain his composure. "And it's just you in your sister, then? No girlfriend, boyfriend?" 

"Oh, no. My um...Liam, my boyfriend, we broke up before I moved here."

"Oh," and Henry really has to hide his joy, he really does. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's fine. He was kind of a dick anyway."

Henry smiles, and there's a small pause, a lull in the conversation. Alex is rocking back and forth on his heels and biting that perfectly plump bottom lip of his. Henry's tea has gone cold.

"Well," he says after a while. "I am the prince. I could just have him murdered, if you like."

Alex laughs, and it sounds like the angels are singing. "Thank you, sir, I'll think about it."

"Please do. Ruthlessly trained killers are just a phone call away."

Alex smiles and excuses himself, leaving Henry with a rapidly beating heart and cold tea. 

***

Alex becomes sort of a distraction for Henry. He wakes up in the morning looking forward to Alex bringing him breakfast. He goes to meeting after meeting, the only part of it he looks forward to being when Alex brings them all tea and biscuits. The part of the day he hates the most is when Alex goes home for the night, and he sneaks into the kitchen to make tea for himself. David has taken a liking to Alex too, and Henry pretends he doesn't see Alex sneaking him a biscuit every once in a while. 

He's starting to know Alex more and more as the days pass. He's twenty-two, from Texas, his parents are divorced, he went to school for political science. He doesn't know exactly what he wants to do yet, but this job is a good way to make political connections. He likes the philanthropy and has met Pez, who is utterly besotted with his sister. He takes his coffee with sugar and cinnamon, and his tea with lots of milk. He played lacrosse at school and likes to go on runs through the park. One day his button down came loose from his pants and Henry got a glimpse of tanned abs, and he just about died. 

As much as Henry likes Alex and Shaan and the rest of his staff, he's getting pretty lonely. He doesn't see Bea as often as he'd like, and Pez is always busy with the foundation. He's never had very many friends, and it's hard to make new ones when everyone in the country knows what he looks like. After contemplating calling Philip of all people and deciding that he's utterly, pathetically lonely, the next time he sees Alex, he makes a decision.

"Alex?" he asks as the boy places his tea tray on his desk in his office. 

"Hm?"

"Would you like to have dinner with me, tonight?"

Alex stutters, and his brown eyes go wide how they always do. It's distractingly cute, frankly. "Sir?"

"Nothing fancy, just in the kitchen here. Of course, you don't have to say yes. I know I'm your boss, but please, don't feel any pressure to--"

"Yes," Alex clears his throat. "yes, I'd love to."

Henry smiles. He's doing that a lot, lately. "Fantastic. Tonight, then? When are you off?" Alex still looks a little stunned, but Henry thinks he hears him say "seven." "Perfect. I'll see you tonight, Alex."

Henry spends an embarrassing amount of time picking out an outfit for dinner with Alex. Really, it's not even a date, he shouldn't be this nervous. For god's sake, he's fought in wars, picking out an outfit for dinner with a friend shouldn't be this nerve-wracking. Eventually he has to break down and ask Shaan for advice, and his equerry thankfully does not laugh in his face. He picks out a nice suit- dark blue, to complement Henry's eyes -and a black tie. Elegant, yet casual enough for the occasion. 

"Might I ask who has you so nervous to dine with this evening, sir?"

Henry frowns at himself in the mirror and adjusts his tie. "Just Alex. The caterer."

Shaan raises his eyebrow, but says nothing. Henry fusses over himself down to the last second, and finds himself rushing down to the kitchen to get there by seven. Alex, of course, looks amazing in his uniform of chinos and a button down. His dark curls are perfectly messy, and his smile is disarming. Henry pulls out Alex's chair for him, like the gentleman he is, and sits across from him, trying not to fidget. They're at the small table in the corner of the kitchen where Henry usually eats alone, and the food and dishes have already been set out so the cook could go home on time. It's nice, having another person share this small space with him. 

They fall into an easy rhythm of conversation. Henry gushes about Bea, tells stories from their childhood about pulling pranks on Philip. He talks about his father, absentmindedly twisting the signet ring on his finger. He can't help but wonder to himself if he'd be happy with how Henry has turned out. Would he want him to stay in the military? Would he think this philanthropy is a waste of time? As if reading his mind, Alex is right on cue.

"I think your father would be really proud of you."

"Yeah?"

Alex nods. "Yeah. You're doing really important work with this foundation. You're going to impact so many kid's lives, it's just...it's amazing, really." 

Henry can feel his throat begin to close from tears, and quickly changes the subject over the desserts. 

"Is your sister doing well?"

"Oh, yeah, amazing. She's really loving grad school. Some of her friends convinced her to sign up for this show for Christmas Eve, so I'm gonna go support her."

Henry smiles. "How nice. I wish her my best luck."

The dinner goes surprisingly well, all things considered. Henry feels he knows Alex a lot better now, and their relationship feels easier afterwards. He makes Alex just call him Henry, and every time he says it, he can feel a shiver going up his spine. It's becoming very difficult to contain himself around Alex, but Henry is careful and makes sure to maintain some semblance of professionalism. He's Alex's boss, after all. He doesn't want any risk of pressure or any possible chance of coercion, even if unconsciously done. 

Work gets busier as the holiday season approaches. Weeks go by in flurries of paperwork, and Henry's only respite is his afternoon tea. It seems every day is another email, another meeting with donors and sponsors, another argument with venues. Pez wants to expand to America, and to do that, they need money and connections. The backer Pez finds is unpleasant over the phone, but he has money. So, sucking up his pride, Henry has him flown out to England in the hopes of securing a partnership. 

Richards is slimy and reeks of cologne, but Henry greets him with all the pomp and circumstance he can muster. He gets a royal escort from the airport, his own press conference, and a joint one set for later in the week. He's set up at one of the nicest hotels money can buy, given a tour of Henry's residence. Henry is ever the charming prince, engaging in small talk while he shows him around, stroking his ego. 

"Now how is a handsome young prince like you single?" Richards asks him, and Henry puts on his best fake laugh. 

"Oh, just haven't had the time to settle down yet. I've found politics and dating don't mix well."

"Really? I've never found that."

"Well, the difference is you've aged like fine wine, whereas I am aging like old cheese." They meet Alex on the stares, and he smiles that beautiful Alex smile. Henry can't help but feel cheered up at the sight of him. "Oh, hello. Mr. Richards, this is Alex, he'll be bringing us our tea later today."

"Hello, Alex," Richards smiles at him, and Henry's stomach churns. "lovely to meet you."

"You too, sir." Henry knows Alex's smile, and he knows it's no longer genuine, and he hates that. Richards laughs. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard. 

"A fellow American, I see? What are you doing working for this aristocrat?"

"Oh," Alex chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his neck. Henry's fists ball at his sides. "I just like the work, I suppose."

Richards' gaze turns predatory. "Well, if you'd ever like to work for a real man, give me a call, won't you?" Alex nods quickly and makes his polite goodbyes, scurrying off to the kitchen. Richards claps a hand on Henry's shoulder. He's going to have to burn this suit after this. "My god, that's a pretty little thing you have there. Have you seen that ass? If you're not taking advantage of that, you're an idiot."

Henry does not think he will be inviting Richards back any time soon. 

***

The last day of Richards' visit comes, and it couldn't have come soon enough. Ever since the encounter with Alex on the stairs he's been a nuisance, and has made it abundantly clear he has no intention of keeping up his end of the deal. He'll give the money, sure, but he won't do anything else. He doesn't care if the shelter doesn't have enough beds or blankets. He doesn't care about the shelters at all, just the good PR the donation will give him. 

The press conference is in two hours, and it seems like Richards has vanished off the face of the planet. They had originally agreed to meet at this time, have dinner together, go over strategies and talking points. No one has seen him at all, though, but his car is still here, so he must be here somewhere. Alex hasn't brought his afternoon tea yet, either, which is equally strange. He's always right on time, has never been late once. It gives Henry a gnawing feeling at the pit of his stomach. 

He goes from room to room, and even has Shaan help him search not the other side of their residence. When he finally has the good sense to ask the housekeeper, his heart sinks. Richards had asked Alex to bring him tea to the office he's been using. Henry takes the steps two at a time, but stalls at the door when he hears voices inside. The last thing he wants to do is go bursting in unannounced, especially if it's just as innocent as Alex bringing tea. He could be completely wrong, after all. 

"Oh, come on," comes Richard's gruff voice from behind the door, and Henry's skin crawls. "you've been such a tease all week."

Then, unmistakably, Alex's voice. But it's not his usual sarcastic, confident Alex. This Alex is scared, and his voice is shaking and cracks painfully. 

"I didn't mean to, just let me go--"

Henry's brain goes on autopilot, and before he knows it, he's burst in through the door without even thinking about it. The scene before him goes still and it takes him a moment to process what's happening. There's Alex, backed against the wall, looking over at Henry with wide, panicked eyes. Richards hovers above him, one hand on the wall next to his face, blocking the exit, the other clutching possessively at one hip. Bile rises in Henry's throat, and he sees red. 

"Richards," he says, using his best princely authority voice. "I believe you're wanted in the conference room." 

He watches Richards give a final squeeze to Alex's hip and a disgusting wink before sweeping out of the room. Alex is stuck to the spot, and he looks at Henry like a deer caught in the headlights. 

"Sir-I--"

Henry has none of it, though. He rushes over to Henry and brings up a gentle hand to cradle his jaw. He searches Alex's face for injuries, any mark that Richards might have put on him. His eyes are wet and his cheeks are red, but there seems to be no damage done.

"Did he hurt you?" Henry asks in a low voice. Alex shakes his head quickly. "Did he touch you? Answer me truthfully, Alex." Again, he shakes his head, and Henry sighs outwardly.

"I don't know what happened. I've dealt with creeps like him before, but I just...I just froze."

On instinct, Henry wraps his arms around Alex and pulls him into a tight hug. Alex's hands find purchase around his waist, and Henry kisses his dark curls. 

"I am so, so sorry, Alex. He will not come near you again, I swear it."

"Thank you, for protecting me," Alex pulls away just a little so he can look up at Henry's face. "you didn't have to. Others wouldn't have done the same, if they were in your position."

"Oh, Alex," Henry brings both his hand to Alex's face, holds those beautiful, soft cheeks. "I will always protect you."

He doesn't know who leans in first, but suddenly they're kissing, and it feels so, so _right_. Alex's lips are as soft and warm as he'd imagined them, and he tastes like peppermint and honey, no doubt the tea he's just had. His hair is soft as he slides his fingers into it, and he kisses so gently Henry thinks he might die. Then, with a start, realizing what he's doing, Henry pulls away roughly. Alex's eyes are wide again, kiss-swollen lips parted in confusion. They start to open, to ask a question, but Henry backs out of the room quickly and doesn't look back. 

***

The press conference does not go well. Henry is steaming standing next to Richards, who's smiling as if nothing happened, going on and on about their wonderful partnership and the great work this foundation does. All Henry can see is the image of Richards, looming over Alex, _his_ Alex, like a beast over prey. That, mixed with the guilt of taking advantage of Alex in a vulnerable state, makes Henry's blood boil, so much so that he does not think at all when asked his final question. 

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" he says with the fakest of fake smiles. 

"Do you believe this partnership will be successful, your highness?"

Henry pauses a moment, scans the room. His eyes lock on Alex, in the back, and he immediately swallows down the shame and anger as he turns back to the reporter. 

"No. No, I do not." He pauses for the collective gasps and whispers before continuing. "Mr. Richards has a lot of money- money I'd like to put towards the greater good. It's why we had this meeting in the first place. But, unfortunately, Mr. Richards has no intentions of using his money for good. No, he intends to write one check and then be done with it. He has made it very clear that he has no plans to be involved in this foundation, and doesn't care about what his money goes to, as long as he gets good press out of it. Furthermore, Mr. Richards is a bully. A bully who believes he can take whatever he wants, no matter the consequences. I will not stand for that. I will not sell out the integrity of this foundation and all that it stands for just for a check. Because unlike Mr. Richards, my beliefs are rooted in doing what is right. There will be no further questions." 

The room explodes, of course, and Richards looks incredibly angry, but he catches Alex's smile at the back of the crowd, and that's enough. He leaves the stage immediately, reporters blocked from following by Cash and Amy, and heads straight to his office. Shaan is waiting there for him, as instructed, and Henry takes his seat behind his desk and clears his throat. 

"Shaan. I'd like you to...relocate Alex. I don't want him fired, but I can't have him work here any longer. See if Pez needs a caterer, or Bea."

And for the first time in his life, Shaan questions him. 

"Why, sir?"

"Why?" Henry raises an eyebrow.

"With all due respect, sir, you like Alex. Why would you want him relocated?"

Henry pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. "It's _because_ I like him that he needs to be relocated. I can't...I'm in a position of power over him, and I took advantage of that. I won't risk doing it again." 

Shaan only nods, and Henry knows he wants to say more, but he won't allow it. He dismisses him without another word, and he does not see Alex again after that.


	2. Chapter 2

With Alex, the color is removed from Henry's life. There's nothing to look forward to anymore- no interruptions to boring meetings, no sunshine from Alex's smile to brighten up his day. The new caterer tries, but she doesn't make his tea as well as Alex had. She doesn't know that he despises peppermint flavor, that he only kept it around because it's Alex's favorite. He can barely sleep, and when he does, he's woken from fitful dreams with the ghost of Alex's kiss on his lips. Nora is giving him the cold shoulder, and David is thoroughly depressed.

Surprisingly, the press conference did not blow up in Henry's face. Support poured in from both the UK and America. People started coming forward, sharing stories that were eerily similar to Alex's. Donations started flowing, people started wanting meeting after meeting to discuss future partnerships. His grandmother wasn't even that upset with him after seeing it. So why isn't Henry happy?

The holidays approach, and with it, boring princely duties. He goes to official family gatherings, attends church once a week like a model citizen even though it's dreadfully boring. Bea tells him that Alex is doing well in his new position with her, but nothing beyond that. It's better Henry doesn't know, anyway. He visits sick kids in the hospital, hands out gifts, does an interview with a man pretending to be Santa for the kids. 

Then comes the worst part of Christmas. The letter writing. Hundreds and hundreds of letters from around the country, wishing him a happy Christmas or a merry new year. He writes thank you notes to people he knows, sends a generic pre-signed card to those he doesn't. He sifts through for what feels like hours, until his hand cramps and his eyes are glazed over. He opens the next letter, meaning to scan the inside quickly to determine if it needs a reply. But his heart stops when he sees what's written inside. 

_Dear Henry,_

_Merry Christmas, and I hope you have a happy new year. I'm very sorry about the thing that happened. I know it was inappropriate to kiss you, and I feel like an idiot for doing it. Especially because I wanted to do it for a really, really long time._

_I'm yours,_

_Alex_

"Shit," he breathes. "Shaan!"

Shaan comes in, hands dutifully behind his back, posture straight. Henry could kiss him. "Yes, sir?"

"I need you to take me somewhere."

"Where to, sir?"

"Wardsworth. The shitty end."

He sees Shaan surprise a smile. "Right away, sir."

***

It turns out, Harris Street is the longest fucking street in the world, and Henry has absolutely no idea which house is Alex's. So, hoping for a Christmas miracle, Shaan parks, and they go door to door. Henry makes a note to give Shaan a raise. The first house is a little old woman, and Henry smiles at her. 

"Hello. Does Alex live here?"

"No," she says, then furrows her brow. "aren't you the Prince of Wales?"

"Yes, I am," he smiles bashfully. "Merry Christmas, sorry to disturb you." 

The next door is answered by three little girls who ask Henry to sing them a Christmas carol. It's hard to refuse, so he and Shaan sings rendition of "Good King Wenceslas." Shaan surprises him with an incredible voice, nearly knocking Henry off his feet. They're met with thunderous applause, and they bow gracefully. They spend the better part of an hour like that, going house to house, with no such like. Finally, they reach the last one, and Henry says a silent prayer before knocking. 

The door opens to a family of four- two older men and a woman, and someone younger, who looks like their adult daughter. The older woman smiles at Henry, blonde hair shining in the light of the Christmas tree.

"How can I help you, sweetheart?" American. Henry could cry of happiness. 

"Yes, hello, um. Does Alex live here?"

By some Christmas miracle, a familiar voice swearing "where the fuck is my coat?" floats down from above, music to Henry's ears. He watches in awe as Alex- beautiful, sweet, Alex -descends the stares. Those pretty lips part and his brown eyes go wide at the sight of Henry, and he stutters.

"Henry," is all he says. Henry smiles genuinely for the first time in what's felt like years. 

"Hello."

"Um. Henry, this is my mom, and my dad, and my stepdad, Leo, and my sister, June. Guys, this is Henry. The Prince of Wales."

His family makes their polite "hellos" and Henry shakes their hands. June eyes him suspiciously, and her grip on his hand is little too tight to be entirely friendly. 

"Oh, so you're the one that fired my brother?" she accuses, and Henry pales. 

"June--" Alex starts to protest, but Henry cuts him off with the shake of his head. 

"She's right. I was a total wanker and...I'm sorry, but could I talk to Alex alone?"

June answers for him, eyes still cold on Henry's. "We're late for something. We need to go. Now."

Alex blushes. "It's not a big deal, June--"

"Yes, it is, let's go, Alex."

Henry clears his throat. "Why don't I, um. Give you all a lift then? I can talk to Alex in the car."

No such luck. June firmly plants herself between them in the middle seat, arms crossed. At least Alex doesn't look angry with him. Henry thinks he's mostly confused, rightfully so. 

"How far is this place?" Henry dares to ask. 

"Just around the corner," Alex is able to say over June. 

"Listen, erm. I just wanted to say...that is, I got your Christmas card--" The car comes to a halt, and with a quick "we're here", June crawls along Alex's lap and jumps out of the car. Henry rubs the back of his neck and avoids Alex's gaze. "I should probably go."

"No, please, stay."

Henry is finding it so hard to resist Alex's beautiful brown eyes. "No one wants the prince stealing their thunder, I..."

"We can watch from backstage. Come on, we can go around the back."

Not letting him get another word of protest in, Alex grabs Henry's hand tight and pulls him around the back of the building. It's a huge auditorium, packed to the brim with people, but Alex manages to sneak them backstage. They watch from behind the wings as acts take the stage. Alex's hand is still in Henry's, warm and perfect. He waits for a pause before tugging Alex back, behind the safety of the curtains. 

"Alex, I am so, so sorry. It was unprofessional of me to kiss you, I was your boss, I didn't want you to think--"

Alex cuts him off with a kiss. He has handfuls of Henry's jacket in his fists, and he's leaning up on his tiptoes a bit, and Henry absolutely melts. He places his hands on Alex's waist, like a magnet drawn to metal, and kisses him back fiercely. It's better than the first time, beautiful and tingling on Henry's lips. He can't hear anything besides the sound of Alex's breathing, doesn't feel anything besides the soft material of Alex's pants beneath his fingertips. He could die right here, lost in Alex, and he'd be happy. He wants to worship him, build temples in his name, devote his life to him. Kissing Alex is the closest he's ever come to god. 

He's so absorbed, in fact, that it takes him a moment to notice that the curtains have opened. The stage lights illuminate Alex's face in an almost heavenly glow, and his smile bursts like the sun. Henry hopes his blush isn't too noticeable as he looks out over the audience of people. He can hear them whispering already- "that's prince Henry" -and he doesn't really care. Alex hides his face in Henry's shoulder, and Henry slides a protective arm around his waist. 

"What do we do?" Alex whispers against him. Henry adjusts them so they're side by side, plasters on a fake smile. 

"Smile and wave. That's it, now do a little bow."

Henry's skills with a crowd are magic. At once, they erupt into applause, whistling and cheering. He spins Alex around once before guiding them off the stage. He can hear the echo of the audience in his ears as he kisses Alex again. 

***

The next Christmas, Henry spends most of the day flying. He's supposed to be in Belgium for another three days, but he couldn't take it any longer. He needs to spend Christmas with Alex or he thinks he might die, and the crown couldn't have that, could they? So he books himself a last minute ticket to Heathrow, and he'll deal with the consequences later. Right now, he's flanked by security, searching the crowd at arrivals for those familiar brown eyes.

He's surprised that his security doesn't react when he sees a flash coming towards him, and before he knows it, Alex is wrapped around him like a koala bear. His arms are around Henry's neck and his legs around his waist, and Henry holds him up kisses the cheek buried in his shoulder. He laughs and spins Alex around, not setting him down even though there's cameras all around. 

"I missed you," he hears Alex say, muffled in the material of Henry's coat. He presses a kiss to Alex's hair and squeezes him tight. 

"Merry Christmas, my love."

"Merry Christmas, Henry."


End file.
